Russia has launched overnight attacks on four Ukrainian cities, injuring at least 15 people and targeting energy infrastructure.

Republicans who previously have sounded off about U.S. aid to Ukraine sounded cautiously optimistic about the new plan to offer U.S. weapons to the war effort through a purchase by other NATO countries.

Ukraine will get its first new prime minister of the war on Thursday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tries to wrestle wartime defence spending into shape and win over both Donald Trump and a war-weary public with fresh-faced leadership.

President Donald Trump has finally found a way to like arming Ukraine: ask European allies to donate their weapons, and sell them American replacements.

Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces downed at least 70 Ukrainian drones overnight into Tuesday morning. Among the areas targeted was the southwestern Voronezh region, which borders northeastern Ukraine. At least 24 people were injured there, Gov. Aleksandr Gusev said on Telegram.

President Donald Trump is downplaying the possibility of sending Ukraine long-range weapons as Kyiv awaits an injection of U.S. weaponry that it hopes will help it beat back an intensifying Russian air offensive.

As President Donald Trump hardens his position toward Moscow and seeks new ways to bring the conflict to an end, he is leaving open the prospect of allowing shipments of longer-range missiles to the country that would allow it to strike deeper into Russia,

Ukraine's parliament gave its initial approval on Wednesday to an extra $9.8 billion in budget spending for the army and defence this year as the war against Russia drags on with no end in sight.